Feb. 17, 1993

25 Years Ago

First winter carnival in Waltham in 10 years: Anyone in Waltham who is ten-years-old or younger had never seen a winter carnival until last weekend. The community of Waltham put on a winter festival that few will forget.
The carnival started with the crowning of the royal family and two dances, drawing excellent crowds.
Besides the indoor activities like dances, card games, movies, drawing contests and family meals, the carnival included outdoor events such as hockey, skating parties, a treasure hunt, snow sculpture contest, fishing derby and much more.

Teens in Shawville buck trend with 30-hour famine: Thousands of young people in communities across Canada, including Shawville are working against a downturn in interpersonal values by taking part in World Vision Canada’s 30 hour famine.
“The generosity theme is in decline in our culture as a whole but the 30-hour famine is one antidote to that,” says Don Posterski, Vice President of National Programs for World Vision Canada.
Young people from Pontiac High School are participating in the 30-hour famine and around 500 young people will be participating in the Outaouais area.

Feb. 22, 1968

50 Years Ago

Queen Phyllis is crowned at carnival, also beats boys at broomball: Phyllis Yemen was proclaimed Queen for 1968 at the Shawville High School Winter Carnival held Saturday, Feb. 1 in a furious gale at freezing temperatures.
Despite the unfriendly weather, the students carried out a series of exciting carnival events.
From among ten finalists from grades ten and eleven, Phyllis, grade 11, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Yemen, took the honours.
Snowmobile races were won by Charles Elliott, Murray Hodgins in the 15-16 class and Allen Maheral in the open class.
Queen Phyllis Yemen’s team beat John Atkinson’s team in a broomball event with a score of two to nothing and in another game of broomball the Dropouts defeated Elwin Lang’s team five to nothing.
Frostball Football was played girls against boys and the ladies won by a magnificent 62 to 14.
Broomball contest for Louie Bertrand Trophy: A well-played broomball game between the Davidson Old Timers and the Campbell’s Bay Old Timers was the feature attraction at the Campbell’s Bay carnival Friday evening.
The score was 5 to 4 in overtime for Davidson. A great display of broom handling in the overtime period by Proper Richard, Joe Perry and Budd Sharp broke the tie at the six minute mark of the overtime period.

Feb. 18, 1943

75 Years Ago

Local News: As a result of the extremely cold weather and huge snow drifts on Sunday and Monday, Pontiac district was without train service for the longest period in the history of the line, not until Tuesday evening was the service resumed. On Monday morning thermometer readings in town ranged from 38 to 42 below zero.
Pte Alvin J. Emmerson C.F.C, has cabled his sister, Mrs. J. Kelly of Shawville of his safe arrival overseas.
Japan’s invasion spearhead into Yunnan province, along the Burma road has brought a new threat to one of China’s long remote and undeveloped regions.
Standing rigidly at attention and totally unaware that the review was such an historic occasion, American soldiers in French Morocco were astonished as a jeep passed in front of them bearing their Commander-in-Chief, the President of the United States. Mr. Roosevelt saluted the colours while the small car moved past the men of an armoured unit.
The communique that told of the historic meeting between Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt concluded with these words:
“The President and Prime Minister and their combined staffs, having completed their plans for the offensive campaigns of 1943, have now operated in order to put them into active and concerted execution.”
The surprise meeting between the Turkish President and Prime Minister Churchill is another dramatic demonstration that the United Nations have seized not only the military but also the political initiative and that the two combined are now drawing a noose around Hitler’s neck.

Feb. 21, 1918

100 Years Ago

Local News: With a view to conserving the supply of coal, it has been arranged to hold union services on Sunday next, morning and evening at St. Paul’s Church.
The Y.M.R.C. at their last meeting decided to purchase a stereopticon lantern to be used by the class in its program of educational subjects.
Many various uses are planned for this useful instrument in church and community equipment, so many subjects, places and events are splendidly illustrated now-a-days.
A couple of sleighloads of Campbell’s Bay young people set out to attend the concert here last Thursday evening but owing to the indefinite character of the roads since recent snow storms, forced the traffic to take the fields in certain places. The party got switched off onto a road leading toward Bryson and did not reach Shawville until the concert was over by which time rain was falling pretty freely.
The Short Course in Agriculture put on as part of the program of the Y.M. Bible Class for 1918 has been very successfully carried out. For a week in spite of terrific weather, the young men of the congregation gathered in the basement of the brick church, average attendance 22.

Feb. 16, 1893

125 Years Ago

Local news: A short time ago, a number of American gentlemen visited Arnprior looking up a site suitable for a wood pulp and paper mill.
Shawville’s list of mechanics will be augmented this week by the addition of a first class painter, in the person of Mr. E.J. Jackson who has decided to take up his residence permanently in the village. For two months preceding Christmas, Mr. Jackson was engaged at the painting of Mr. J.H. Shaw’s new residence and latterly at Dr. Lyon’s.
On Saturday morning last, the morning train from Aylmer and a pilot engine taking a train of freights from the yard, an Ottawa station, collided on the “Y”. The two engines crashed into each other with terrific force. The Aylmer train was going at the rate of about 15 miles per hour. Both the engineers and firemen had to jump for their lives. Fortunately none of them were injured but it is stated that Mr. Alfred Leggo, who was on the Aylmer train, had his shoulder dislocated.
The front of the Aylmer engine was smashed into pieces and the smokestack broken off.
Hon. Mr. Beaubien has introduced certain resolutions respecting agriculture, the effect of which is to enable each farmers’ club to share in proportion to its membership the sums paid to the agricultural society of its county.
The Renfrew Journal says Diphtheria is said to have broken out in the Dacre vicinity. One member of the family died and was buried on Sunday and at last accounts, two more of the family were stricken with the disease.